Future of European Ports Policy European Cruise Council

Future of European Ports Policy European Cruise Council Conference Brussels, 14 September 2010 José Fernandez Garcia Principal Administrator European Commission DG Mobility & Transport Maritime Transport Policy: Ports & Inland Waterways EUROPEAN COMMISSION 10/11/2020 picture: courtesy of the Port of Hamburg

Basis: Communication on a European Ports Policy COM(2007) 616, 18. 10. 2007 . . . A policy document, not a legislative proposal Commission’s assessment of the current situation Guidance on the application to the port sector of the Treaty rules on the fundamental freedoms Commission’s general objectives for ports An action plan for the realisation of those objectives 2

Ports policy Action plan - Reminder (1/2) . . . . Need: Level Playing Field – clarity for investors Action: State Aid Guidelines – Extension of Transparency Directive to all ports (after State Aid Guidelines) Need: Reconcile more capacity with respect of environment Action: Guidelines on the application of environmental legislation to port development Need: Dialogue in ports Action: European sectoral social dialogue committee for ports (up to social partners) Need: Simplification of procedures for Short Sea Shipping Action: Proposal on the European Maritime Transport Space without Barriers (21 January 2009) 3

Ports policy Action plan - Introduction (2/2) . . . Need: Improvement of administrative treatment of ships Action: Policy document on the deployment of emaritime Need: Enhancement of hinterland connections of ports Action: Evaluation of ports’ hinterland connection status and needs on the occasion of the review of the TEN-T Need: Efficiency of transport chains and their hubs such as ports Action: Elaboration of performance as well as socioeconomic port indicators 4

Main ports policy actions (1/3) – State aid Guidelines . . Commitment by the Commission to adopt Guidelines on State aid to ports Objective: ensuring legal security both for public and private investors in port facilities Debate by the economic and legal doctrine on the nature of public investments in infrastructure, also within the Commission Transfer of competences on State Aid to transport to DG Competition – continued cooperation among Commission services 5

Main ports policy actions (2/3) – Environmental Guidelines . . Requested by port authorities and terminal operators Commission working group with sectoral experts: port authorities, terminal operators, Eu. DA, environmental NGOs, academics, Member States Guidelines cover Birds Directive, Habitats Directive (regulates “Natura 2000” areas) and Water Framework Directive, not waste, noise nor emissions 3 -tiered structure: Communication, Guidelines, Technical Support Document 6

Main ports policy actions (3/3) – Social Dialogue . . . Encouragement by the Commission to social partners to engage in a formal social dialogue through a Social Dialogue Committee Process is in the hands of social partners 2 x 2 social partners: employers (FEPORT/ESPO), employees (ETF/IDC) Representativity in 2 x 27 committee an important issue – about to be resolved among social partners Official request to Commission by common letter crutiny of legitimacy by DG Employment Agenda set by social partners – consensus on issues 7

Further ongoing and future actions related to ports . . . . PPRISM study on socio-economic port indicators (Jan 2010 - Dec 2011) Future study on port labour (2011) E-maritime initiative (Communication & Framework Directive; 2010/2011) New White Paper for Transport (end 2010) TEN-T revision process (2011) Review of SSS / Mo. S policy Review of Marco Polo Programme – possible MP III 8

Thank you for your attention! José Fernandez Garcia European Commission Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport Maritime Transport Policy: Ports and Inland Waterways Office: DM 28 03/17 B-1049 Brussels Tel. +32 2 296. 92. 59 Fax +32 2 298. 75. 58 Jose. Fernandez-Garcia@ec. europa. eu http: //ec. europa. eu/transport/index_en. html 9